More Detail On Apple’s iPhone Nano [Exclusive]

UPDATE: The big question about a streaming-only iPhone is apps: How will users download apps? My source compared it to the second-generation Apple TV, which is a streaming-only device but includes 8GB of onboard memory (for the OS and buffering media). “I’m not 100% sure on the amount of memory available for the user,” he said. “I know there is some memory but it acts more like the memory on the AppleTV. There is some there, I’m just not sure how much.”

We have more detail on Apple’s iPhone nano, which according to Sunday’s Wall Street Journal is real and may be headed to market this year.

By “some” of the memory, we mean ALL of the memory. The iPhone nano will have no memory for onboard storage of media, our source says. It will have only enough memory to buffer media streamed from the cloud.

“I’m talking strictly storage memory here,” said our source.

The iPhone nano will pull ALL it’s content from MobileMe. When users buy a movie or TV show on iTunes, it’s available to stream to their iPhone or iPad. The service is based on technology from LaLa.com, a streaming service that Apple bought last spring and then shut down.

“It would be a mostly cloud-based iOS,” said our source.

The WSJ report reported many of the same details, and also hinted that the new iPhone nano will have limited storage: “MobileMe… would serve as a “locker” for personal memorabilia such as photos, music and videos, eliminating the need for devices to carry a lot of memory,” the Journal said.

The prospect of a memory-less iPhone is intriguing, and our source has a great track record, however, it does raise a few questions.

The device cannot surely come without any memory — what about the operating system and critical system data?

And what about pictures and movies taken by the iPhone, assuming it has a camera? No onboard memory means photos and video will have to be streamed UP to the cloud, and presumably in real-time.

The device will also have to stream a bunch of other data in real-time — from email attachments to documents and spreadsheets in users’ Home folders. Such a system must have some local storage, or could each and every piece of data be streamed to the iPhone’s RAM, and quickly swapped in and out depending on the task at hand? And what happens when the iPhone is inevitably offline?

And no more loading up movies for long-haul flights, I guess. Better hope more airlines start offering free WiFi by the summer.

Deals of the Day

I wish they’d do an iSanitaryTowel Nano version, oh what they did, it’s called the iPod Touch.

GaryGlitter

Well it bothers me, okay? Got a problem with that. Take it up with your Mum.

plushzilla

Apple products are mind blowing and I’m this is one as such.Thanks for sharing information about Apple iPhone nano.Great job.Well,Interested about funny iPhone apps.? Check this one:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app…